DfT invests £3.4m in wireless taxi trial

 

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced a £3.4m government investment in wireless charging trials for electric taxis in Nottingham.

The six month trial of taxi rank-based wireless charging will involve 10 Nissan and LEVC electric taxis fitted with the charging hardware, however no date has been set for the start of the trial.

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Induction loop technology is available already, with around 90% efficiency. An induction system was used in a previous trial of wireless charging for buses in Milton Keynes.

The Nottingham project is a collaboration between organisations including Cenex, Sprint Power, Shell, Nottingham City Council, Parking Energy, Transport for London and Coventry University.

It is hoped it will speed up charging and help reduce congestion in city centres.

Mr Shapps said: 'New wireless technology will make using an electric taxi quicker and more convenient, allowing drivers to charge up at taxi ranks before heading off with their next passenger.'

Nottingham City Council will own the vehicles and provide them to drivers rent free.

If successful, the Department for Transport said this technology could be rolled out more broadly for public use.

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